A Detective's Imagination
by TheAuthor1996
Summary: Sherlock is not one to talk about his childhood but what happens when someone from his childhood comes back to haunt him. Quite literally. AU: In a world in which Sherlock and Molly haven't met
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Childhood Truths**

* * *

John was bored and for a moment was tempted to use Sherlock's pistol to fire at the wall but managed to hold himself back,

"What you working on Sherlock?" he asked after a moment,

"Micro specimens left on the rim of beer glasses after being washed" the detective replied in a simple mumble causing John to roll his eyes,

"Fascinating" he replied sarcastically,

"Any good case offers?" John proceeded,

"Only a mixture of threes and twos" Sherlock replied and John groaned,

"So basically we're in the middle of a heat wave and we're stuck inside with nothing to do" John moaned,

"Speak for yourself, doctor. I am occupying myself with a rather fascinating experiment and I plan to continue to do so once you cease in you infernal prattering" Sherlock said firmly with a warning look and John rolled his eyes once more,

"It was on days like this when I was younger that my dad would get my bike out the garage and I'd go riding down a giant hill pretending I was a knight on a noble steed" John said with a chuckle but Sherlock didn't reply and John looked at him,

"What would you and Mycroft do as kids? You know, for fun?" he asked curiously but Sherlock didn't look up from his Microscope,

"Mycroft found pleasure in the works of Shakespeare whilst I buried myself in books of science" he replied and John raised an eyebrow,

"You never played any games?" he asked and Sherlock looked up slightly but didn't meet John's gaze,

"After... After Red Beard went missing... There didn't seem any logic in playing games" Sherlock murmured and John saw the sadness trying to hide in the detective's expression,

"Sorry, mate. I didn't think... Did you have any other friends after Red Beard?" he asked carefully and Sherlock slowly shook his head,

"My parents tried but... The thought of Eurus hurting any other person because of myself... It was too much to bare" Sherlock explained and John knew that asking any more would be in vain as Sherlock revealing something of his childhood was a very rare thing indeed,

"Tell you what why don't I go the pub round the corner and ask to borrow some of their glasses for your experiment?" John proposed and watched as Sherlock nodded,

"Indeed, that would be most helpful. Thank you, John" he said and John nodded before grabbing his coat and headed out.

* * *

Sherlock stood after hearing the front door close and approached the fireplace before removing the mirror that hung above it to reveal a wall safe; The existence of which was only known to Sherlock himself and he twisted the dial before pulling the safes' door open and removed an aged piece of paper from amongst two old science books and the detective sat down in his chair, unfolded the paper to reveal a child's drawing and proceeded to close his eyes slowly as he reminisced to the moment he had drawn it.

* * *

 _Eurus looked upon a young Sherlock with a cold expression,_

" _You will never find Red Beard and any other friend's you make. I'll make them vanish too" The youngest Holmes vowed before running out of the study and a young Sherlock hugged his legs close before noticing the paper on his father's desk and he approached it hesitantly, retrieving a piece before leaning it on the floor and he retrieved some crayons from his pocket,_

" _I'll make a friend that Eurus can't hurt or make vanish" he said to himself with a timid smile,_

" _You'll be my secret. Not even mummy or daddy will know about you and that way you'll always be safe" he promised as he drew two figures side by side; One being himself and the other being the friend he was slowly bringing to life,_

" _You'll be my best friend and I'll be yours and we'll always be together to take care of each other" he said with a smile as he finished and tilted his head in confusion,_

" _You need a name" he noted before thinking and smiled brightly before using his crayon to write a name below the figure._

* * *

"Molly" Sherlock murmured before slowly folding the piece of paper back up and returned it to the safe and placed the mirror back to its original place before John returned.

* * *

 **Awwwwwww Sherlock had a childhood imaginary friend but does she still exist in his adulthood? Find out in the next chapter! REVIEW!**

 **Kind Regards,**

 **TheAuthor1996**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: A Detective's Ghost**

* * *

It was around 2 in the morning when Sherlock finally dragged himself to bed, not bothering to change into his pyjamas and just laid on the bed in his suit shit and trousers, closing his eyes tiredly,

" _You really need to get more sleep you know"_ a voice said causing Sherlock's eyes to shoot open and he sat up, looking around the room quickly but saw no one and he stood after a moment, moving into the living area and found the telly on, remembering that he forgot to turn it off,

"I must be more tired than I thought" the detective murmured to himself before turning the telly off,

" _Yeah because you work yourself way too hard_ " the voice said once more making Sherlock turn quickly and found a young lady sitting in John's chair reading the works of Shakespeare,

"Who are you?" Sherlock demanded,

"How did you get in here?" he asked firmly and the young lady giggled and Sherlock's eyes widened as the book suddenly vanished from her hands as she stood,

" _You know too well that I am wherever you are, William. Whenever you need me that is"_ The lady said gently with a kind smile but the detective's firm expression remained,

"My name is Sherlock" he corrected firmly earning another giggle,

" _Perhaps... But you will always be William to me"_ she responded with a soft smile and Sherlock looked at her cautiously for a moment before realising,

"Molly" he murmured and watched as she nodded but Sherlock shook his head,

"This isn't possible. You're just a figment of my childish thoughts. How is it that you've grown?" he demanded and Molly giggled again,

" _You're mind has aged Sherlock and for every moment your mind ages. So do I. You should know that"_ she explained gently and Sherlock frowned,

"Why are you here?" he asked and Molly smiled softly,

" _I'm always here when you need me, William. Now it's time for you to get some sleep"_ she instructed gently before leading him to bed and Sherlock sleepily obeyed, nodding slowly as he lied down and she tucked him in,

"My name is Sherlock" he murmured, his eyes growing heavy and saw Molly smile,

" _Would you prefer it if I call you that?"_ she asked and the detective nodded slowly as he drifted off to sleep,

" _Goodnight Sherlock"_ Molly whispered as sleep overtook him completely.

* * *

When Sherlock woke the next morning, he found no trace of Molly so brushed off her appearance as a dream formed by the memories ignited by the sight of his childhood drawing,

"You alright, mate?" John asked that evening when they were examining a crime scene and Sherlock came back to reality before nodding,

"Yes... So, Mrs Johnson. Are you sure you did not just misplace your diamond necklace?" Sherlock asked the old lady sitting in her chair before turning to examine the room and felt his stomach drop at the sight of Molly leaning casually against the fireplace and wiggled her fingers at him greeting with a smug smile,

"I'm telling you. My son took them. He's trying to make me look crazy so he can get access to my accounts" The old lady told Sherlock as she had already told the officers and Sherlock eyes were wide as he watched Molly nod,

"My mother is confused Mr Holmes. I would never do anything like that" Mrs Johnson's son said and Sherlock watched Molly shake her head,

" _Liar"_ He heard her say and Sherlock could only make a humming sound as if not to look crazy,

" _Oh come on Sherlock. You're clever. You saw the receipt from that security business on the coffee table. It was signed by her son. Ask them about it"_ Molly pressed and Sherlock was unsure but turned,

"Have you had any security added to your house recently, Mrs Johnson?" Sherlock asked and watched the old lady shake her head,

"No, I haven't. Why do you ask?" she replied and Sherlock looked puzzled as Molly smirked,

"Well that's funny because you have a receipt here from a security here for a wall safe" Sherlock pointed out picking up the receipt from under some post and Mrs Johnson's son rushed forward,

"Actually that's mine" he defended quickly,

"That's funny because the address listed is this property... Where's the wall safe, Mr Johnson?" Sherlock demanded firmly causing Mr Johnson to look even more guilty,

"I... I really don't know what you're talking about" he replied,

"I am not a patient man Mr Johnson. You wouldn't like to waste my time" Sherlock warned, turned and saw Molly point to a portrait on the wall above the sofa,

"If you don't tell me then I'll find it myself" Sherlock continued simply,

"I don't know what you're talking about. I've done nothing wrong" the man defended firmly and Sherlock groaned before moving towards the portrait,

"You leave that alone" Mr Johnson ordered but Sherlock swung the painting out the way to reveal a wall safe,

"You'll find your necklace in there, safe and in tact, Mrs Johnson. I'll send some officers in to retrieve it for you. Good day" he bid before leaving followed quickly by John and Molly vanished with a soft smile.

* * *

It was after John left to go home to Mary and Rosie when Sherlock finally looked up from his microscope,

"Molly?" he called hesitantly and watched her appear, sitting in the seat across from his own and she smiled at him softly,

"Why?... Why did you help me?" Sherlock asked and Molly placed her transparent hand over his gently,

" _Because even the great Sherlock Holmes needs help sometimes... You've been lost since the discovery of what really happened to Red Beard and I know it effected you greatly. I think that's why I'm needed here right now"_ she said gently,

" _I'm your friend Sherlock. Don't push me away"_ she said gently and Sherlock sighed,

"Very well... But I have conditions... When I find myself surrounded by others could you...?" he began,

" _Make myself scares and only speak when you need me too?"_ she finished with a giggle,

" _Of course, Sherlock. I'm here to make your life easier not harder"_ she assured before vanishing and left him in peace to finish his experiment.

* * *

 **How are you enjoying Sherlock and Molly's friendship? Let me know in the reviews to unlock chapter 3!**

 **Kind Regards,**

 **TheAuthor1996**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Reminiscing**

* * *

John couldn't help but notice that Sherlock had grown more distracted,

"Mate, you've been staring at that couch for an hour... Everything ok?" he asked carefully causing Sherlock to look at him for a moment before looking back towards Molly who smiled at him softly,

" _He's your friend, Sherlock... He'll understand"_ Molly said gently and Sherlock sighed before looking back at John,

"Might I tell you something, John. Whilst having comfort knowing that it will never leave this room?" Sherlock asked and John nodded slowly before sitting in his chair,

"course, mate. What's on your mind?" he asked concerned and Sherlock sighed,

"I... Remember a few weeks back when you asked me if I had any other friends beside Red Beard?" he asked and watched as John nodded,

"Well... When I told you no... That wasn't particularly true" Sherlock admitted and John leant forward,

"Go on" he encouraged gently,

"I... I became... Scared. Eurus... She said that if I had an other friends then... She would make them vanish too... So... I invented a friend that she couldn't make vanish or hurt" Sherlock admitted after taking a deep breath,

"Sherlock, that's nothing to be embarrassed about. A high majority of children have imaginary friends" John comforted,

"I've been seeing her these last few weeks" Sherlock admitted quickly causing John to sit backwards,

"I see" he said thoughtfully before glancing around the room briefly,

"Is 'she' here now?" he asked gently and watched as the detective nodded,

"Can she... hear us?" he asked carefully and Sherlock looked at him sharply,

"I'm not crazy" he snapped causing John to hold up his hands in defence,

" _Sherlock, he doesn't think you're crazy. He just wants to help"_ Molly said softly and Sherlock sighed,

"She says... She says that you don't think I'm crazy and that you're just trying to help" Sherlock explained and John nodded,

"Ok... Does she have a name?" he asked and Sherlock took a deep breath, sitting back in his chair,

"Molly" he answered quietly and John looked around before looking back at his friend,

"Sherlock, I don't think it's a bad thing your seeing your childhood friend. You had a traumatic experience as a child and it's only recently come back to light after being blocked from your mind for so long" John said gently,

"Perhaps... Molly is your way of coping" John told him and Sherlock saw Molly smile softly,

" _I like him. He's a good friend to you"_ Molly said and Sherlock nodded,

"Molly says that she likes you and that you're a good friend to me" he explained and John smiled,

"As long as she's helping you mate. I like her too" John replied and Sherlock nodded thankfully.

* * *

Sherlock lied on his bed as Molly's transparent form lied next to him as they both stared at the ceiling of his room,

"Why did you vanish?" Sherlock asked quietly, not taking his gaze away from the ceiling but Molly looked at him gently,

" _You were eleven when Eurus was taken away. As the days passed and the memory of her faded... So did I. Without your fear of Eurus. You didn't need me there"_ Molly explained gently and Sherlock frowned, turning his head to look at her,

"But I'm not scared of Eurus now" he responded and Molly looked at him gently,

" _Aren't you?"_ she asked and Sherlock turned his gaze back to the ceiling and became silent,

" _Sherlock, I came from your mind but I would much rather you tell me then I go snooping"_ She said gently and after a moment Sherlock sighed,

"My sister took over an entire military base without even a high level of effort... If she did that then... What is to stop her coming after those close to me?... John... Mary... My God daughter... Mrs Hudson" he murmured but Molly smiled at him softly,

" _You're a man with many walls, Sherlock Holmes and I am merely one of them"_ she told him and Sherlock closed his eyes,

"You're going to leave again... Aren't you?" he asked and he felt her soft smile,

" _All walls crumble with time, Sherlock but I'm still standing strong. The day I leave is the day when you no longer need me"_ she told him and Sherlock kept his eyes closed,

"Why weren't you there in times I really did need you?" he asked,

" _I was there... You just couldn't see me but I was there. I was the melody you played upon your violin, I was there giving silent praise when you made a deduction and I was there providing silent applause when you solved a case"_ She told him and rested her head on his shoulder,

" _Imaginary friends fade, Sherlock. It's the circle of life but I'll still be with you when that time comes. Promise not to delete me?"_ She asked gently and watched him nod,

"Never" he vowed and Molly smiled as she closed her eyes and vanished as Sherlock fell asleep.

* * *

 **Awwwwwww how sweet?! Anyone need to book a dentist appointment?!**

 **Kind Regards,**

 **TheAuthor1996**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Let Me Go**

* * *

Sherlock was struggling to play and Molly clearly felt his discomfort,

" _Is Everything ok, Sherlock?"_ she asked gently and the detective sighed and held up an envelope,

"My parents and Mycroft are requesting that I travel with them to see Eurus" he explained with a murmur and Molly looked at him gently,

" _You can't ignore her existence, Sherlock. Perhaps there is a reason she came back into your life. Perhaps she is sorry about Red Beard"_ She told him and Sherlock scoffed humourlessly,

"I sincerely doubt it" he responded,

" _Don't you owe it to Red Beard to find out?"_ she asked carefully and Sherlock sighed,

"What... What if she isn't sorry?" he asked worriedly,

" _Then you have a reason not to offer her your forgiveness"_ she told him and Sherlock gave a half smile,

"You always know what to say" he praised and Molly smiled,

" _Duh, you made me, Sherlock"_ she replied and Sherlock sighed, sitting back in his chair,

"Will you come with me?" he asked and was surprised when Molly shook her head,

" _Not this time, Sherlock. Your fear of Eurus brought me here so I think it best that you face her alone"_ she told him gently and Sherlock closed his eyes knowing Molly was right.

* * *

A guard lead Sherlock, Mycroft and his parents to Eurus' cell when Sherlock turned and looked at his family,

"Could I have a moment with her alone?" he asked and watched his parents nod and Mycroft looked at his brother sympathetically,

"Just call us if it becomes too much, brother mine" Mycroft said and Sherlock nodded before entering the cell and the guard closed the door behind him.

Sherlock took a few steps forward and watched as Eurus looked up and she stood quickly at the sight of him; He saw the hope in her eyes,

"Your doctor told me you've developed a loss of speech and I know that's not true. I know you can still talk and if you want me to stay then you will because I need to know something" Sherlock said firmly and watched as his sister frowned before nodding after a moment and she looked at the ground,

"You flourished in making my childhood a living hell. You embedded the very fibres of my life with fear. Fear of you. Did you really hate me that much?" Sherlock demanded with a glare and watched as Eurus looked at him and shook her head,

"Never" she whispered,

"You were my brother, Sherlock. I looked up to you. You... You were my hero... You still are" she told him,

"I... I just felt so lost. I thought... I thought you didn't love me as much as I loved you... I thought I was loosing my brother" she explained sadly,

"So you killed the only friend I had. You killed Red Beard" he growled and Eurus let a tear fall down her cheek,

"I thought you'd find him. I really did... You and Mycroft were so clever at solving puzzles and I thought you'd be able to solve my riddle... When Red Beard died... I knew you'd never forgive me so... I fell into a dark despair and I was so cruel to you" she whispered looking down and Sherlock felt a tear fall down his own cheek as he gritted his teeth,

"You made me fearful of having friends! You swore to make them vanish too!" he yelled and Eurus fell to her knees,

"I know!... I... I just wanted to be your friend... I just wanted my brother back" she whispered and sobbed into her hands and Sherlock took a deep breath,

"Are you sorry?... About Red Beard's death. Are you sorry?" he asked and watched as she looked up at him and nodded,

"You will never know how sorry I am, Sherlock... Can you ever forgive me?" she asked in a whisper and Sherlock held out his hand hesitantly and she took it shakily as he helped her stand,

"Please know that I need time... But after all these years... Knowing that you're sorry. The process of my forgiveness can begin" he told her and she sighed before pressing a kiss to his knuckles,

"Thank you" she whispered over and over and Sherlock nodded before turning and left,

"I'll see you next month" he bid and Eurus nodded silently with a soft smile of hope on her face.

* * *

John watched Sherlock sit in his chair with a look of sympathetically,

"You alright, mate?" John asked and Sherlock was silent for a moment before looking towards the fireplace,

"It's time isn't it?" he asked and Molly nodded with a sad smile and held out her hand to him and he took it before standing,

" _I'm afraid so, Sherlock. You've grown up... You don't need me any more"_ she murmured and Sherlock looked down sadly but John's eyes were wide,

"Sherlock?... I... I can see her" John stuttered causing the detective to look at him surprised,

"That's impossible... How can you...?" he tried before looking back at Molly and she smiled,

" _Childhood magic"_ she whispered before hugging him,

" _All my love to long ago, Sherlock"_ she whispered and Sherlock closed his eyes,

"The best of wishes for wherever you end up, Molly" he replied and with that Sherlock's childhood imaginary friend vanished for the last time.

* * *

 _ **~ 6 Months Later ~**_

Sherlock and John were at St Bart's Hospital having just examined a body brought in from a crime scene,

"Theories?" John asked,

"Murder" Sherlock replied simply before going on to explain exactly how it happened but John wasn't listening and he smacked the detective's shoulder for attention,

"What?" Sherlock asked and John silently pointed with stunned eyes into one of the labs at a lady leaning over a microscope,

"That's impossible" Sherlock murmured, becoming shocked himself,

"She looks just like..." John began,

"Molly" Sherlock finished and John shoved Sherlock into the lab before he could protest and closed the door behind him causing the lady to look up,

"Errrrrm... Can I help you sir?" she asked and Sherlock struggled,

"I... Yes" he began before holding out his hand,

"Sherlock Holmes" he introduced and the lady accepted his hand,

"Molly Hooper" she greeted and Sherlock smiled,

"Of course you are" he said causing her to look confused,

"I'm sorry?" she pressed and the detective shook his head,

"Nothing it's just... My friend, Doctor Watson was teasing me the other day for having an imaginary friend as a child named Molly. I found the coincidence amusing" he explained and Molly giggled,

"Oh, I see. What can I do for you Mr Holmes?" she asked,

"Sherlock, Please. I find my flat rather small to carry out experiments and I was wondering if I might retrieve consent for the lab's use" he explained and watched as she nodded,

"I'm sure it won't be a problem if we get the hospital's permission" she said with a smile and Sherlock smiled brightly,

"Oh Miss Hooper, I do believe we are going to get along very well" he said certainly.

* * *

 **I hope you all enjoyed 'A Detective's Imagination' Please let me know how I did.**

 **Kind Regards,**

 **TheAuthor1996**


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